


Make You Feel At Ease

by hopespym



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Established Relationship, Feelings, Friendship, M/M, Memorial Day, POV Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Remix, they both really deserve a hug and the Best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24814984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopespym/pseuds/hopespym
Summary: Just because it was Memorial Day and things in the past had definitely not been as kind to Bucky as they should have been didn’t mean that Steve needed to worry. But he also knew that man deserved a whole lot more good than that world had decided to give him.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Comments: 22
Kudos: 41
Collections: Winterhawk Remix 2020





	Make You Feel At Ease

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [tell you truth, but never goodbye](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24383371) by [tintedglasses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tintedglasses/pseuds/tintedglasses). 



> this is part of the winterhawk remix (2020) on tumblr!
> 
> i had such a fun time writing this and i hope that my partner enjoys reading this!
> 
> as always, special thanks to syn for being absolutely the best beta and putting up with my shit x
> 
> REMIX:  
> \- different pov  
> -zoom in

_ Oh no. _

Steve wasn’t really sure why he felt so uneasy about watching Clint walk over and sit down beside Bucky, climbing, albeit a bit clumsily, onto the seat on the picnic table. 

Okay, as he watched Clint start saying something to Bucky, he knew exactly why he felt uneasy, but since Bucky’s back was to him, he could only see the stillness in his body and the few long seconds before he seemed to let himself feel more at ease.

He must have replied to whatever Clint had said, because Clint leaned down to drop a kiss on his shoulder, and it only took a moment or two more before Bucky’s head turned to find Steve’s eyes.

Feeling his teeth gnawing at his lip, he made himself stop looking at the two of them when Bucky turned back towards Clint.

So, sure, just because it was Memorial Day and things in the past had  _ definitely  _ not been as kind to Bucky as they should have been didn’t mean that Steve needed to worry. But he also knew that man deserved a whole lot more good than that world had decided to give him.

Steve knew that a  _ lot  _ of his worry was from the fact that even though he had met Clint a couple of times and had realised that they were honestly a really good match together, he couldn’t help still feeling like, as Bucky so lovingly calls him, a mother-hen.

Bucky always called him over protective, and yes, Steve was a little more standoffish when he had first met Clint, but he had come to find that Clint really was a good person, and more than that, a good match for Bucky.

Really all it had taken was for Bucky to slyly say how happy being with Clint made him to make him step down from being a loomy figure behind them, but when Steve had mentioned Danny to Clint just moments ago, he thought for sure that Bucky would have at least mentioned him by now.

Then again, Bucky’s also called him out on having a big mouth and it seems like, once again, he couldn’t contain it - even when trying to do the right thing.

Taking a quick peek over at Bucky and Clint again, unable to help himself, he immediately goes into some sort of panic zone when he notices Bucky’s body language tensing up. 

His feet are leading him over to them before he has a chance to think,

“Bucky?”

In spite of the panic that was probably lacing his voice, he couldn’t help but  _ try _ to aid Bucky - something he had done so much for Bucky over the course of coming back into normal life and also all the times before deploying. 

Bucky didn’t respond; instead, it was Clint who looked up at him with a trying smile, “It’s okay, man. Just give us a minute, please.”

Feeling so entirely useless, but still wanting to help because by now it was engraved in his brain to help Bucky in any way he could, he hung around for an extra moment or two, making meaningful eye contact with Clint before he let out a sigh and walked back to the grill.

He hastily flipped some of the meat that had been on one side for a bit  _ too _ long, and, decidedly not looking over at the two of them again but seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but become hyper aware of Clint standing up from the picnic table and leaving.

Taking a deep breath, he kept his head ducked down as Clint walked past him, who seemed to be carefully not looking towards him, though he somehow still made the ignorance feel carefree.

With one last quick glance towards where Clint was now going back into the house, Steve made his feet stay for as long as he could, if only to give Bucky some more breathing room, before he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Hey, punk.”

“Bucky, I’m so sorry,” Steve blurts out immediately, wanting to get it off his chest even though Bucky already knows, “I didn’t know, but I still shouldn’t have-”

“It’s fine, Steve. I know you didn’t know.”

“You were doing so well today and then I just ruined it-” Because that’s the basis. That’s why he’s so stressed and guilty and  _ miserable _ , because Bucky was having a good day and then he went and opened his big mouth and-

“Hey,” The firmness in Bucky’s voice makes his mouth snap shut before he can even think, “I’m still doing well today. Nothing is ruined because I had a panic attack.”

“Of course not. I didn’t mean that.”

“I know. I know. Sorry, I’m just a bit on edge. But I need you to hear me when I say that this really isn’t a big deal, okay? You didn’t know that Clint didn’t know, and Clint’s not going to push me about it until I’m ready, so it’s all fine.”

Pushing down all of his needs to say something else, apologise once more or add another comment, maybe even berate himself again, Steve merely nods, accepting the fact that if Bucky said it was okay, then it was all okay. Though he felt guilty about it, he was also relieved that Bucky had someone else looking out for him, and if Clint was that guy, then Steve was more than okay with that.

Not that it mattered much, because Bucky was his own person and a grown ass adult, but still.

Instead of all that, he inhales a deep breath and merely replies, “Okay, Buck. I’m… I’m glad you’re fine.”  _ But I’m always going to worry about you, no matter what.  _

The two are silent a moment before Steve feels Bucky nudge his shoulder slightly, “C’mere. Let me give you a hug.”

And yeah, Steve knows he can barely contain the eagerness and gratefulness from his face, so instead of opening his big fat mouth, he merely wraps Bucky up in a hug that probably feels (and looks) packed full of emotion and a bit too clingy, but when you’ve been to hell and back with your best friend, your brother, and  _ survived _ . 

Well.

Who’s Steve to blame if he’s just really fucking glad that Bucky’s still there with him.

He can feel Clint’s eyes on them, watching from either inside the house or now outside, but it doesn’t really matter because right now, Steve feels like the hug is a promise, just like they used to trade when they were kids.

It feels like  _ “I’m okay” _ , but more importantly, it feels like home.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you thought below!
> 
> come screech with me about winterhawk:  
> twitter: [betsybraddocks](https://twitter.com/betsybraddocks)  
> tumblr: [thescarletwitch](https://thescarletwitch.tumblr.com/)


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